A QUESTION OF CARDS
by thunderbird5
Summary: Jeff calls the boys in about a week before IR goes into operation. He wants to talk to them about the possibility of carrying donor cards since they will be saving the world. Jotracy123's ficswop request.


Disclaimer: How I wish the boys were mine. But no, they belong to someone else.

Thanks to my unknown beta for all your lovely editing.

After moving to an island in the middle of nowhere the boys found themselves hard at work building the machines that would save the world from all disasters known to man. Making the decision to give up their own personal lives to save someone else's life so that they could live life to the fullest and be glad that they got a second chance at that. The boys knew the risks and they knew what was expected of them all.

They had signed a contract which they had set up along with their Father. They had all agreed that they would save lives and not ask for any payment in return. Yes, the boys would still work for their Father, doing paperwork at the office every now and then just to show their faces and to keep newshounds off their backs as to where they all had gone to. They still had their hobbies and personal lives, but they had to keep the organization a secret.

It was only a week before International Rescue would begin operations. What the boys didn't know, however, was that there Father had one more favor to ask them, one he himself wasn't yet sure of.

Jeff had been talking to one of his agents when the question was brought up, "Would your boys donate themselves to save a life, God forbid, if one of them passes away?"

It was an innocent question that was asked and yet it made Jeff think very hard. Would He or his boys donate themselves to save someone's life, even if they donated just one organ? Would they do it willingly? That was a question Jeff wanted to ask his boys, before making the decision.

Jeff sat at his desk in his brand new state-of-the art office. He thought about how he would approach his boys with this topic: would he talk to them all at once, or would he take them one at a time? He had heard so many stories of people dying without any cause. He thought of the people who had gone to the hospital when they had been knocked out or just for a normal operation and never waking up again. Rumor had it that when you had a donor card, they would find an excuse to put an end to your life. Rumor also said that some hospitals were so desperate for organs that they'd do anything to lay their hands on them.

Whether these rumors were true or not, Jeff didn't know. There were so many people waiting for a donor. Perhaps one of his boys would be the next one on the waiting list. What if one of them had to ... he would not think of it. So many what ifs were running through his mind that he wondered if it would be worthwhile to ask them about it? Wouldn't it be better to leave it and pretend that he had not heard the question in the first place?

He was just reaching out his hand to press a brand new intercom button which was gleaming in the sun: when he heard a sound. He nearly jumped out of his skin with fright. What was that? It came again. It was only someone knocking on the office door.

Although there was a chime next to the office door, they still knocked – neither he, nor his family had gotten used to the electronic doors and technology around the villa yet. Jeff gave a fond smile when he remembered Alan throwing a fit when he couldn't open his bedroom door. He only remembered afterward that he needed to scan his palm to gain access to his room. By that time, everyone had been watching him with amused looks plastered all over their faces. The poor boy was so embarrassed for the rest of the day that he wouldn't show himself until later when his Grandmother cleared the issue by landing in the same predicament.

Again Jeff heard the knock at his door and a soft "Oh!" as the person on the other side remembered the chime next to the door. It sounded like John. Jeff was surprised that his middle son would forget something like that. John knew every piece of technology on the island, but he had forgotten the chime.

Jeff sat up straighter in his soft, leather chair and said, "Come in."

Jeff Smiled as John came into the office. It wouldn't be too difficult to talk to him, as he always thought things through, carefully, before deciding on them.

Jeff waited for John to take a seat on one of the chairs opposite before he began, "Son, I have been thinking about something for a while now, which I want to discuss with all of you, before deciding on it. Since you are the first to walk through my door, I'll start with you."

John nodded, looking grave and Jeff continued, "I was talking to one of our agents a while ago, when he asked me an interesting question ... He asked whether you would be willing to carry a donor card on you, in case something happened. I'm sure that nothing will happen, but will you consider it?"

John smiled and took his wallet out of his pocket. Opening it he turned it to his Father so that he could see his Donor card. "One of my friends at college had one and he told me that he didn't want to go to his grave without helping someone else. He also said that his sister told him that it would be the greatest gift to give someone else in the future. He said that he knew that his body would be useful when he dies, so he wouldn't have to worry about it. That made me think, so I got my own card."

Jeff was stunned that John was one step ahead of him. "Wow! You thought of it before I could."

John smiled as he closed and put the wallet back into his pocket. He stood up to go and asked, "Who should I call next, Father?"

Jeff scratched his head in thought and said after a moment, "Well, please send the first brother you pass in the passage and ask Kyrano to bring me some coffee."

John left the office smiling and Jeff thought how proud he was of his quiet son.

Soon Jeff had a steaming cup of coffee in front of him as he waited for the next son to walk into his office. It didn't take long for that son to arrive. Soon the door opened to admit Scott. It looked as if he had been napping out on the deck again. He hadn't had much time for that lately, since they had all been too busy working on the birds.

He motioned for Scott to sit down and smiled to reassure him that it wasn't anything to worry about. As soon as Scott made himself comfortable Jeff asked, "Would you like some Coffee, Scott?"

Scott shook his head and said, "No thanks Father. If I have anything hot to drink, I'm going to die of heat. It's boiling hot out there. You have no need to worry about me, I'm fine. John mentioned that you wanted to ask me one last thing before we begin operations."

Jeff wondered where his boys had come from, for a moment, since they were all straight to the point. Maybe that was a good thing, or else he may never have gotten around to asking them the question. "I was talking to one of our agents a while ago; when he asked me an interesting question ... He asked whether you would be willing to carry a donor card on you, in case something happened. I'm sure that nothing will happen, but will you consider it?"

Jeff could see that Scott was thinking very hard about the question. He wouldn't blame Scott if he chose not to carry a donor card. It was his body, after all, and he had a right to refuse if he wished – nobody would hold it against him. He began to wonder if Scott was going to give him an answer when Scott spoke. "What about the others? Do they know about this?"

Jeff nodded and answered, "I decided to ask each one of you individually, for your privacy. Nobody has to know if you have one. John has one already and I'm thinking of getting one, myself, but it is your decision if you want one. Nobody will fight with you if you would prefer not to have one."

Scot stood up and asked, "Father, may I think about this for a while and give you my answer at the end of the day? I need to think about it – way the pros and cons – before I can give you my answer."

Jeff stood up and walked to the door with his eldest son. "Just remember that it is completely up to you. Nobody is forcing you to get a donor card if you don't want to, ok."

Scott silently nodded and gave his father a one-armed hug. He calmly opened the door, only to jump back as Alan came crashing through it. "Gees Alan, how many times do we have to tell you not to eaves drop?"

Alan stood up and smiled at his brother, "Who me? Nah, I couldn't hear a thing through the door even if I wanted to. Gordon's after me because I've finally managed to play a prank on him, so please hide me somewhere before he finds me?"

Scott walked out of the office and nudged Alan's foot inside before closing the door. Alan didn't even realize that his one foot was outside the door.

As he turned around, he saw that Jeff was watching him with a fond smile on his face. When Alan was a small boy, he had usually come to the office when he had misbehaved or when he wanted to ask his father something. Therefore, he asked, "Um, Father. Did I interrupt something?"

Jeff took Alan by the arm and led him to a chair. Alan sat down without a word. Jeff walked to his own chair and took a sip of his cold coffee, before repeating himself for the third time that day, "I was talking to one of our agents a while ago, when he asked me an interesting question ... He asked whether you would be willing to carry a donor card on you ..."

Before Jeff could finish his speech, Alan interrupted, "Sure, I wouldn't mind having a donor card on me. I mean, Grandma and I were just talking about it this morning. She asked me why you didn't consider something like that yet. I mean, saving lives is what we're going to do and that is the ultimate way to end our lives on earth, isn't it?"

Jeff couldn't believe his ears; he had thought that Alan would blow up and leave him with the mother of all headaches afterwards. "Where did my sons come from again?" He thought.

Jeff smiled and said, "Well, here I was worrying that you wouldn't be too happy about this donor card-thing. Are you getting it for a girlfriend or because you really want to?"

Jeff saw a flash of anger in Alan's eyes and went on before it could get out of hand, "Look, I don't want to offend you in any way, Alan, but if or when something happens to you one day, we want to be sure that it is something you wanted to do and not for a girlfriend or something."

For a moment it looked like Alan might change his mind but then he asked, "So when do we get these cards? Oh, I don't have a girlfriend by the way."

Jeff sighed softly before replying, "Well, I still need to ask your brothers and then I'll let you all know, okay?"

Alan stood up and walked to the door. "Okay, is there anyone else you want to see, Father?"

Jeff looked on his watch and realized that it was almost time for lunch. Maybe he could get his last two sons in his office before then. "Yes, if you find Virgil, somewhere please let him know that I'm waiting for him in my office. Oh, and Alan..."

Allan turned from the open door and smiled, "its okay Father, I understand."

Alan winked at Jeff before sprinting away hoping that he'd miss Gordon, because his redhead brother was as mad as a hornet at that moment.

Alan saw Virgil sitting at his piano sorting out some music sheets, as he ran past the lounge. He skidded to a Holt next to the piano and tapped Virgil on the head. "Hay big guy, Father wants you in his office."

Virgil glared at Alan as he turned around on the piano stool. "Why do you have to tap me on the head like that? Why does Father want to see me?"

Alan stepped away from Virgil as Gordon came up the steps from the pool area. He turned to run and said, "He wants to ask us one more favor."

Virgil walked to his father's office. He stopped in front of the door and pressed the chime. When the door opened he walked to the nearest chair, and sat listening to the door as it shut.

Jeff smiled at his second oldest son as he looked up from his empty mug. He couldn't help his smile turning into a grin when he saw that his son didn't have paint in his hair for a change. So he hadn't painted this morning. "Good morning Virgil, how did your morning go so far?"

Virgil knew that his Father was trying to see if he had paint in his hair again. "It's been quiet. I've been sorting out some of my music and listening to Gordon and Alan. It sounds like either of them has done something again."

Jeff placed his hands on the desk and decided to get straight to the point, "I was talking to one of our agents a while ago, and when he asked me an interesting question ... He asked whether you would be willing to carry a donor card on you, in case something happened. I'm sure that nothing will happen, but will you consider it?"

Virgil played with his hands on his lap and thought for a moment before asking, "What about Scott, how does he feel about carrying a donor card?"

Jeff rested his hands on the arms of his chair as he answered, "Well, your brother has asked if it would be okay if he could give me his answer at the end of the day, so I'm not sure how he feels about it at the moment. How about you, would you want to carry such a card?"

Virgil thought about it as he stared out the windows behind his father's chair. "Well, wouldn't this compromise our secrecy? I mean, if something happens to us, wouldn't they find the card and our names if they search us for identification?"

Jeff smiled as he went back to turning the mug in his hands. "Well, your cards will be staying inside the birds and you will carry another identity card in your wallets, for personal use. You'll have a card for International Rescue and a card for your normal lives. The cards in the birds would have another name on them, so nobody would know your true identity. Although ... I haven't thought of the name yet."

Virgil nodded and said, "Well, if we have a way to protect our identities then I have no problem with it. Just let me know when we're going to get the cards. I'll speak to the others and try to come up with another name for you."

Jeff held his hand out to Virgil. Virgil shook it and smiled as his father asked, "Do you perhaps know where I can find Gordon?"

Virgil walked to the door and said, "I'll find him and send him to you, Father."

He walked to the lounge to see if he could find Gordon there. He looked out of one of the huge windows to search for his brother. He didn't see him, so Virgil went down the hall to the games room. When he opened the door, he found Gordon playing cards with Scott and John - Alan was nowhere in sight. "Hay Gordon, Fathers looking for you. His waiting in the office."

Gordon turned from the table and asked, "Does Alan have anything to do with Father wanting me?"

Virgil held the door for Gordon and shook his head, "Nope, whatever Alan has done and whatever you want to do to him is your own problem. Father wants to ask you a favor and nothing more."

Gordon went to his Fathers office, glancing into every room he passed to see if Alan was in one of them. When he got to the door, he waited for his Father to open the door. He waited for a few minutes, before going to the kitchen to find his blond brother. He wanted to get Alan back for the prank he had played that morning. Nobody would outsmart him like that and get away with it.

Gordon didn't find him there, so he went back to the office. The door was open now, and he could see his father surveying him from behind his desk. He didn't look angry, so he walked in, to find out what his father's favor was.

Gordon didn't sit down like his brothers before him. Instead he stood near the desk and watched his Father closely. "Is there something you wanted to ask Father?"

Jeff looked up at his second-youngest son. He couldn't help feeling proud of him, since he had been through so much in the last year or so. Despite everything he still smiled and enjoyed each day, since he had gotten a second chance at life.

Gordon had always been a prankster. You never knew when you would find a frog in your bed or some other strange object in your room. He laughed inwardly as he said, "I was talking to one of our agents a while ago, and when he asked me an interesting question ... He asked whether you would be willing to carry a donor card on you, in case something happened. I'm sure that nothing will happen, but will you consider it?"

Gordon moved away from the desk and went to one of the windows. He looked out at the see while he thought it over. "So you're asking if each and every one of us would carry one, in case something happens to us, right."

Jeff stood up from his seat and stood next to his son at the window. "Yes, I'm asking if you would be willing to carry such a card on you. No one would get mad at you if you chose not to."

Gordon looked at his father and gave him a warm smile. "It's a good idea. I mean, what could be a better way to die than knowing that your body would be put to good use one last time. Saving lives is what we do, right? I've heard tons of stories about people not wanting donor cards because they're scared that someone would kill them to get at their organs and all that. I'm not sure if the stories are true. Even so, I can't see any problem with the idea."

Jeff walked out of the office with Gordon and Said, "Well, then I just need to get Scott's final answer and I'll let you know how we're getting the cards. You'll have one for International Rescue and one for your personal lives."

They walked to the kitchen and sat down for lunch. Jeff watched his family and wondered who would be the first one to bring up the donor cards and what Scott's final decision would be.

Lunch was soon put before them and they all began to talk. It was not long after they had eaten that the card was brought up. The strange thing was that Scott was the first one to speak, "So all of us are getting the donor card?"

Scott saw everyone nodding and he continued, "You guys really want to do this? I mean, I've heard so many rumors about it ... they say it's bad luck to carry it on you, people purposefully kill you to get your organs ... is this really wise?

John gave him a strange look and Scott exclaimed, "What!"

John said, as he pushed his plate away, "I have had my card for quite some time and I'm still here, aren't I? Nothing has happened to me yet, so why should anything happen to any of you? It's the same as carrying a blood-donor's card. If people wanted your bankcard, wouldn't they kill you for it, too?"

Scott was taken aback by that answer, "Well, I didn't really think of it in that way. I guess it wouldn't be so bad then."

Jeff smiled at Scott. He knew that he had his answer. Jeff thought, "I can just leave it up to John and he'll sort the lot out. Where would I be without him?"

After the discussion, Jeff sat in his office with a new cup of coffee in front of him. He heard a new sound which made him smile and think, "It's a good thing my boys are getting these donor cards. I have a feeling that someone might need to use it quite soon."

Outside, Alan was just falling asleep on one of the loungers, thinking that Gordon had dropped all thoughts of revenge. His relief was short lived. Something was blocking out his sunlight and without opening his eyes Alan knew that his life might just have come to an end. He flew off the lounger like a shot and ran down the path for the beach, only to be caught off-guard when he found himself hanging up-side-down on the last tree near the soft golden sand. From that trap he heard his brother laughing and he knew that this was payback for the prank he had pulled earlier.

Scott sat down next to Virgil, who was shaking with suppressed laughter. "Nothing will ever be dull, with those two around, hey, Virgil."

Virgil turned to Scott, who watched Gordon freeing his begging brother from the tree. "It's a good thing we're getting these cards. By the way those to trouble makers are going on; we're going to need all the help we can get. Especially Father, he's turning greyer by the day and when he's completely grey I'm sure something else will give out."

Scott gave Virgil a soft shove and laughed when Virgil tried to shove him back, only to have his chair pulled out from under him by John. Scott jumped up from his chair and stood next to John. John put the chair safely out of Virgil's reach and watched him with laughter.

Virgil landed on his side and yelled, angrily, "Damn you all!"

He got up from the ground and gave them a murderous look. He began to chase after them, but they split up in different directions.


End file.
